Every year when I buy a package of white plastic plant label stakes, sold for that purpose, they seem expensive. I don't remember how much they cost now, but they're pretty pricey. I've tried using thin wood stakes made using my table saw instead, but over a season the wood weathers in the garden and those become unreadable.
I'm doing some plumbing under our house now, and I'm using this white plastic strapping that's made for hanging pipes from floor joists. I got this roll in the plumbing department at Lowe's for, I think $2.99. Then it occurred to me that this makes some fine plant labels too - it's hard strong plastic, it cuts easily with scissors, permanent marker works on it, and the molded holes for nails don't hurt anything. These labels pictured are marked "SOO" for Sweet Ozark Orange tomatoes.
A fifty-foot roll of this strapping will make 100 six-inch plant label stakes for just over 3 cents a label including tax. I like it!
